International non-profit organisation, Save the Children, which works in the domain of safeguarding interests of children, has sought urgent action and a speedy trial of the arrested suspects and also a continued action by police to arrest the remaining suspects who remain on the run in the gang rape and murder of two sisters in Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday.

While the police has reacted to the demands of the
angry villagers who strongly protested the rapes in Katra village. It
is necessary that strong action be taken, and maximum punishment to
be meted out, in accordance with the Prevention of Children from
Sexual Offences Act and IPC laws to send a clear message to put a
halt on such gruesome crimes against girls.

In
Focus

Save the Children also warned that the rising
violence against children must be recognized as a priority for the
new Central government, since there is a risk of immunity given the
recurrence of these crimes across the country.

About one-third of rape
victims in India are below the age of 18 years. Children are easy
prey for criminals because the need to protect child rights is not
taken seriously, claims Save the Children. The international media
has been quick to provide prominent coverage of the incident-
highlighting how India is becoming increasingly unsafe for women and
travel by foreigners. The New Delhi-based NGO hopes that media
attention would also focus on the plight of children from
marginalized communities, such as the Dalits in this case.

This case becomes even
more astounding because of the suspected negligence of two police
officers in this crime. Shireen Vakil Miller, Advocacy Director, Save
the Children says, “This is a horrific incident and part of an
alarming trend of brutal violence against women, particularly against
those from marginalized communities.” She also added “urgent,
concerted action needs to be taken, in accordance with the law to
halt it.”

Save the Children
supports initiatives such as ‘End Violence Against Children in
India’, which is being put together by a national alliance of child
rights organizations.